Case Number 17161

SUPERNATURAL: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

"Because God commanded it. We have work for you to do."

Opening Statement

The Winchester brothers saddle up and prep for the looming apocalypse. But
this time they won't be alone squaring off with demons -- this go-round they'll
be running with Heaven's warriors and, you know, that's awesome.

Facts of the Case

Things weren't going terribly well for Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), when
we last saw him. And by "weren't going terribly well" I mean
"homeboy was impaled on hooks and strung up in Hell." Back on Earth,
his brother Sam (Jared Padelecki) has taken the demon-hunting personally,
desperately trying to track down a bigshot Hellspawn named Lilith who's been
orchestrating most of the metaphysical shenanigans. The last thing he's
expecting is the sudden, mysterious reappearance of Dean, freshly unearthed and
apparently ripped from the guts of the pit by an unknown powerful being.

Enter Castiel (Misha Collins), a guy wearing a raincoat and a perpetual
grimace but sporting mojo that neither Winchester has ever seen before. Turns
out Castiel is an angel, sent from Heaven to spring Dean from Hell and prep him
for his substantial role in the apocalypse, which, unless the good guys can stop
it, will be unleashed when Lucifer himself escapes his eternal prison.

The Evidence

I'm a big fan of this show and, despite the fact I maybe the only male
follower of the Winchester adventures, I am happy to proclaim
Supernatural as one of the finest shows on TV right now. I've been with
it since the beginning, when it was a monster-of-the-week endeavor, and got
super involved in the mythology as it progressed into more
season-arc-storytelling. Now the very best season has hit and it's a
whopper.

When it was announced that angels were going to be introduced into the
series, the fan community reacted with skepticism. But when the stunning Fourth
Season premiere wrapped, I knew creator Eric Kripke and his creative team had
hit paydirt. Bringing angels into the mix and setting up a Revelation-inspired
storyline was genius, pumping a staggering amount of new energy into the show
and giving the writers tons more building blocks to play with. Plus, it
introduced one the coolest supporting characters I've seen in a while -- Misha
Collins's Castiel, a superb creation and someone who endeared himself to the
fanbase almost immediately. I'm going out on a limb and say that's because he's
a great actor portraying an interesting character, and not because he's got
dreamy eyes.

As dependably great as the cast is -- Ackles and Padalecki now wear their
roles with ease -- it's the compelling narrative that separates this season from
its predecessors. Maybe it's because, as a God-fearing gent, I can appreciate
this particular storyline. I mean, come on, Lucifer, God, archangels, war in
Heaven -- that stuff is just the bee's knees. Regardless of your inclination
towards the Judeo-Christian belief system, you have to admit there's some cool
mythology to work with here. If you're not of the religious persuasion, don't
worry, this isn't preachy. In fact, in the accompanying interviews, Kripke goes
out of his way to mention that the series is governed by humanist themes, where
it's all about family and there's no higher form of destiny, which pretty much
runs counter to Christian orthodoxy. I don't mind, because a) the writers
actually take this stuff seriously, and b) who cares because angels are
@#$%#&%#$ decapitating demons!!!

Finally, a shout out to the humor. As hardcore and heavy-duty as the show
gets, there are many flashes of humor. Whole episodes are geared towards comedy
(typically penned by the great Ben Edlund) and work exceedingly well;
"Yellow Fever," "Monster Movie," "Wishful
Thinking" (featuring a giant suicidal teddy bear) and "After School
Special" being the standouts.

During its broadcast run, Supernatural was one of the best-looking
shows in HD. On Blu-ray, the visual fidelity shines. Episodes receive gorgeous
1080p, 1.78:1 widescreen transfers, rich in detail and pumping out a
crystal-clear resolution. The show has a gritty look that lends itself well to
the stark levels an HD facelift offers. I doubt you have seen such perfectly
rendered five o'clock shadows. You get a regular old Dolby 5.1 mix, which falls
short of the lossless action that's become Blu-ray standard, but it still
pounds. Extras: Select episode commentary, a handful of so-so deleted and
extended scenes, a slick and interesting deconstruction of the religious
mythology used in the show (nice and multicultural too), and a gag reel.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Biggest disappointment of the season: "Criss Angel is a Douchebag,"
possibly the greatest episode title ever, but the clunkiest show of the lot.

Closing Statement

Funny, bad-ass, and smart, Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season is
the strongest of the series and Blu-ray is the way to see it.